European giants humbled as CWC Cup script gets rewritten

The script seemed predetermined - Europe's football giants would cruise through FIFA’s expanded Club World Cup against grateful opponents from distant continents. Instead, the tournament has delivered a plot twist, leaving the game's traditional powerhouses scrambling for explanations.

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With Porto and Atletico Madrid eliminated in the group stage and European sides winning just two of seven matches against South American opposition, the continent’s expected dominance has failed to materialise.

“We knew beforehand that the tournament came at the end of a long season, whereas for the South Americans it’s right in the middle, when they are peaking,” lamented Atletico Madrid’s Diego Simeone after his side's early exit.